Diagnostic imaging with MRI, PET, and CT scanners saves millions of lives with high-resolution images that let physicians see inside our bodies. A relatively new technology called "functional MRI" (fMRI) observes blood flow rather than just the structures imaged by regular MRIs. We wrote about fMRI previously, citing work at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General … [Read more...]
Wearables Forecast: More Metrics, More Formats
Fitness bands are on the decline; Health Tech devices are on the rise. That's the conclusion of a new industry report by Juniper Research. Within the next five years, the combined market for such devices is expected to reach more than $21 billion in annual sales. More than 75 million people in the U.S. will be using some sort of tracking device by 2021, which is about twice … [Read more...]
CES 2017: Optical Sensor Measures Blood Pressure
Wearable devices now routinely track heart beats (though some do so with more accuracy than others), but one biometric measure remains elusive: blood pressure (BP). There are plenty of automated blood pressure cuffs on the market, including models that will communicate results wirelessly to an app running on a smartphone or tablet. But these devices are cumbersome and power … [Read more...]
Wearable-in-a-Box Speeds Development
Ask any Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and they'll tell you that the most important factor in a technology product's success is speed to market. You need to start revenues flowing as quickly as possible, and prevent competitors from beating you to the market. Given all the hardware and software components required for a wearable device, however, companies face an enormous hurdle … [Read more...]
Solar Textiles Store Energy
One of the biggest challenges for wearable Health Tech devices is energy. How will they get the power they need to operate, and how will they store it until it's needed? The standard solution is to use rechargeable batteries, and then plug the device into a source of electricity as needed. The problem is that recharging can be inconvenient, and works against our prime principle … [Read more...]
